Feb. 16, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 2007 softball season rolled on Friday with the start of ASU's Littlewood Classic which saw the No. 2 Sun Devils top the North Carolina Tarheels in dramatic fashion 3-1 and the Illinois State Redbirds 10-1 in five innings, with Bianca Cruz hitting two homeruns, one for a grand slam. The Sun Devils are now a perfect 10-0 on the season with games tomorrow against Iowa and Idaho State.
Junior ace Katie Burkhart took the mound for the first game against the 3-2 Tarheels, striking out 11 batters while allowing only one run on the night to UNC. The Sun Devil offense had a sluggish start, but were able to put one on the board in the fourth as Bianca Cruz scored off a single down the left line from Rhiannon Baca. The game remained deadlocked at one apiece until the bottom of the seventh when a walk placed Rhiannon Baca on base as Caylyn Carlson stepped in to pinch hit in the eight spot and cracked a two-run shot over left to end it and boost the Devils 3-1 over the Tarheels.
In the nightcap, Megan Elliott took the start on the mound against the Illinois State Redbirds, allowing only two hits and matching Burkhart's 11 Ks. The Sun Devils were able to rattle off five runs in the first four innings before Bianca Cruz stepped in with bases loaded to nail her second home run of the night over center field wall to end the game early. The grand slam is the second of her career, the first coming against Florida State last season in May at NCAA Super Regionals.
The Sun Devils are now 10-0 on the season, with their series history at 27-2 against the Redbirds and a perfect 5-0 against the Tarheels. The Sun Devils take to the field again tomorrow for day two of the Littlewood Classic where they will face Iowa at 5:30 p.m. and Idaho State at 7:30 p.m., both of which will be played at Farrington Stadium.
Other scores from the Littlewood Classic:
UC Riverside def. Idaho State - 12-2 (5)
Iowa def. UC Riverside - 9-1 (5)
Illinois State def. Idaho State - 13-0 (5)
North Carolina def. Iowa - 10-5